The present invention relates to a measuring probe and an arrangement/a system for measuring spectral absorption, preferably using infrared radiation. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for spectroscopically measuring absorption.
A standard method for identifying cancer tissue is histopathological microscopic investigation by means of microscopy by an experienced histopathologist. Tissue samples are taken, cut and strongly diluted, dried if applicable and, if applicable, prepared chemically for spectral measurement by transmission or transflection. The tissue is analysed in the laboratory, frequently quite distant from where it was taken. Measurements therefore require a great deal of time and effort and strongly depend on the experience of the histopathologist. In addition, the known solutions are too voluminous for in-vivo applications and would significantly damage or destroy healthy tissue. This would lead to substantial collateral damage.
Likewise, methods are known for identifying cancer tissue that are based on infrared spectroscopy within the medium infrared range (MIR), in particular Fourier spectroscopy. Examples of such methods and devices for in-vivo measurement using infrared spectroscopy based on miniaturised attenuated total reflection (ATR) prisms in conjunction with Fourier transformation spectroscopy in the MIR range are known from U.S. Pat. No. 8,452,356 B2, for example.
However, given the methodology of ATR measurement, the ATR prisms used in the prior art are rather blunt and can easily damage or destroy the investigated tissue. ATR measurement is also strongly influenced by the pressure of the tissue on the totally reflecting surface of the ATR prism. The pressure cannot be easily influenced or ensured in-vivo, however, and is also not easily determined. However, the reliability of the measuring results strongly depends on the pressure. Furthermore, the spatial resolution of measurements based on ATR prisms is generally not very high.
In the figures, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar elements. For the sake of comprehension, the figures are not true to scale. In particular, the diffractive structures are highly enlarged and may not be depicted true to scale.